Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : In a move that highlights the ongoing digital tug-of-war between India and Pakistan, authorities in India have once again ordered the blocking of social media accounts belonging to several Pakistani celebrities and content creators. This reinstatement of the ban comes amid a significant backlash from Indian users, who reportedly raised concerns over the accessibility of these accounts, leading to swift action from the Department of Telecom (DoT) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
The decision marks a re-escalation of restrictions on cross-border digital content, particularly involving prominent Pakistani personalities. While many of these accounts may have briefly been accessible or were previously unblocked, the recent directive confirms a renewed crackdown, effectively making them unavailable to users within India. The action underscores the sensitive nature of online content exchange between the two nations, which is often influenced by broader geopolitical tensions.
The catalyst for this renewed ban appears to be public sentiment. Reports indicate that a surge of complaints and objections from Indian users regarding the presence and content of these Pakistani celebrity accounts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook prompted the government's intervention. This illustrates the powerful role that user feedback and nationalist sentiments play in shaping online content regulation in the region.
For the affected Pakistani celebrities, this means a significant loss of reach to a large Indian audience, which constitutes a substantial part of their global viewership and engagement. For Indian users, it reflects a government stance aimed at controlling digital narratives and responding to perceived threats or sensitivities. Social media platforms, caught in the middle, are typically bound by local laws and directives, leading to compliance with such blocking orders.
This episode serves as a fresh reminder of how digital spaces are increasingly becoming battlegrounds for national interests and public opinion, with governments exercising their authority to regulate cross-border content based on internal and external dynamics. The reinstatement of these blocks signifies a firm stance from India on digital content perceived to be in conflict with national interests, driven by direct feedback from its citizenry.
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